Municipal Election 2010 Results Addington Highlands Township
Addington Highlands – Incumbents lose in Ward 1
By Jeff Green
Most of the candidates for council in Addington Highlands, along with acclaimed Reeve Henry Hogg, had gathered in the council chambers at the Flinton Rec. Centre by 8 p.m. on Monday night, when the polls were supposed to close.
The door to the council chambers was closed, so as not to interfere with the bingo that was going on next door. Then the news came that the polls were remaining open for an extra hour, setting up an hour of polite chat as candidates waited to find out what their fate would be, with the only one who was truly relaxed being Henry Hogg.
When the vote came in shortly after 9 it revealed that voters in Ward 1 (Denbigh) wanted a change. Two new candidates, Adam Snider (404 votes) and Tony Fritsch (343 votes), won spots, with incumbents Janice Kerr (270 votes) and Eythel Grant (184 votes) both going down to defeat. Yvonne Rosein (115 votes) rounded out the field.
Bill Cox, a former councilor, will be back on council in Ward 2 (465 votes) and he will join the only incumbent councilor to be returning, Helen Yanch (365 votes). The other incumbent, Louise Scott, did not run (Scott was in the other room playing bingo). Mary Ann Tryon (328 votes) and Larry Pealow (314 votes) were the other candidates in Ward 2.
Reeve
Henry Hogg Acclaimed
Ward 1 Denbigh
Adam Snider 404
Paul Fritsch 343
Janice Kerr 270
Eythel Grant 180
Ward 2 Kaladar
Bill Cox 465
Helen Yanch 360
Mary Ann Tryon 328
Larry Pealow 314
Central Frontenac Township
Election Night in Central Frontenac
by Julie Druker and Jeff Green
Tension gathered as the clock ticked down in Oso Hall on election night and the seats quickly filled before the first poll was tallied and posted on the screen.
The majority of candidates running were present and most of them either stood, paced or talked with supporters, colleagues, friends and family members with their heads oriented to the front screen, allowing for a quick glance from time to time.
The first results came in at around 10:30pm and defined certain leads that would remain until the bitter end roughly one hour later.
Frances Smith in Oso ward and Tom Dewey in Kennebec ward both took early leads and kept them till the very end. In the mayoral race after the first poll the three candidates were separated by roughly 300 votes each, with Janet Gutowski in the lead, followed by Logan Murray and Douglas Lee.
The second set of results saw Logan Murray closing the gap with Janet Gutowski, but only slightly. Soon afterwards, the game appeared over when the next set of results saw Gutowski pull ahead with a total of 1459 votes, with Murray next with 985 and Lee in third with 361.
The final tally was Gutowski 1713, Murray 1161 and Lee 434.
Janet Gutowski (photo left) was thrilled.
“I'm very happy about it and am very pleased with the people who stood by me and supported me and I'm looking forward to a very bright future for the area.”
As far as the numbers went she said, “A lot of people got out and voted which is great and I have to think that democracy is always right.” She added with a laugh ”and for me in particular it worked out rather well.”
Logan Murray said, “I'm definitely disappointed but people get the government that they elect.” He continued on in a more positive note, saying, “I gave it my best shot and talked to between 2000 and 2500 people of which at least 1500 told me I had their support.”
Will he give it another shot?
“Definitely not,” he said, “Even if I'd won this one I wouldn't have run again.”
Gutowski will be joined by five returning and three new councilors.
In Kennebec, Jeff Matson (552 votes) was returned, and he will be joined by Tom Dewey (664), who replaces Gary Smith. Smith did not seek re-election. Other candidates in Kennebec were Tom Waller (275 votes) and Britian Wilson (111 votes).
In Olden ward, incumbents John Purdon (439 votes) and Norm Guntensperger (410 votes) will both be sitting on council again, and Justin Gray (216 votes) finished in third place.
In Oso ward, Frances Smith (615) was the most popular candidate. Wayne Millar (414 votes) won the seat that was vacated by long-time council member Bob Harvey. Carol Coupland (298 votes) and Rick Greenstreet (259 votes) rounded out the field.
Finally, Hinchinbrooke ward was where one-term incumbent Philip Smith went down to defeat. Smith (440 votes) finished third, behind Heather Fox (499) and returning incumbent Bill Snyder (515), who will add another term to his 29-year council career.
Mayor
Janet Gutowski 1713
Logan Murray 1161
Douglas Lee 434
Councillor Ward 1
Tom Dewey 664
Jeff Matson 521
Tom Waller 275
Britian Wilson 111
Councillor Ward 2
John Purdon 439
Norm Guntensperger 410
Justin Gray 216
Councillor Ward 3
Frances Smith 615
Wayne Millar 414
Carol Coupland 298
Rick Greenstreet 259
Councillor Ward 4
Bill Snyder 553
Heather Fox 499
Philip Smith 440
Lanark Highlands Township
Short and sweet in Tay Valley
Incumbent Roxanne Darling (443 votes) and former councilor Mark Burnham (328 votes) were elected to Tay Valley Council from South Sherbrooke ward. Dave Campbell, (213 votes) finished in third place. All other candidates in Tay Valley were acclaimed, including Reeve Keith Kerr and Deputy Reeve Susan Freeman. The only other ballot in the Tay Valley election was for Upper Canada District School Board Trustee. In Tay Valley, Stephen Day (604 votes) received more votes than the incumbent Bill MacPherson (457) but the election took place throughout Lanark County, and in the overall vote, MacPherson was returned to the board by a vote of 3426 to 2920.
Mayor
Peter Mclaren 1882
Bob Fletcher 1007
Cory Donaldson 412
Ryta Dulmage 294
Ward 6
Brian Stewart 516
JoAnne Wheeler 308
School Board Trustee Lanark and Tay Valley Upper Canada District School Board
Bill Macpherson 3426
Stephen Day 2920
(Note – in Tay Valley - Day 604 Macpherson 457 – In Lanark Highlands - Day 811 Macpherson 1382)
North Frontenac Township
Clayton beats Beam in North Frontenac
By Jeff Green
When North Frontenac Mayor Ron Maguire announced he was not going to seek re-election, the current deputy mayor, Jim Beam, a one-term councilor, seemed to have a strong chance at the job. Beam announced his candidacy early in the year, and campaigned all summer.
It was only as the nomination deadline was approaching that Bud Clayton (photo left), who served two terms on council (2001-2006) and then ran for mayor and lost to Maguire in 2006, decided to throw his hat into the ring. During the campaign period the battle between the two men took a bitter tone, leading up to an exchange at the final all-candidates’ meeting in Cloyne. Bud Clayton had been running a campaign based on his leadership skills and experience, and at his final opportunity to speak, Beam effectively called Clayton yesterday’s leader. “He talks about leadership in the past,” Beam said, “whereas I’m providing leadership right now and can provide it tomorrow.”
During the campaign Jim Beam had talked about the level of commitment he has shown as deputy mayor, citing the example of the Clarendon Central School chili cook off. “So he was at the chili cook-off,” Clayton scoffed after Beam had made his comments about leadership. “What does that have to do with providing good government?”
Flash forward to the Clarendon/Miller Hall in Plevna on Monday night. By 10 p.m. there were three or four euchre tables going. Bud Clayton was sitting at one end of a long table, and Jim Beam’s wife Vickie and his daughter were sitting a few seats over. Jim Beam was at the township office working as a scrutineer. Of the 30 or so people in attendance, the majority were candidates or candidates’ family members. And, a full two hours after the polls had closed, not a single result had come in.
Finally the phone rang and the results of the first of seven polls was delivered by Township Clerk and Chief Returning Officer Brenda Defosse. Clayton had a sizeable lead, about 200 votes. At more or less regular intervals the phone kept ringing and the numbers came in. Within an hour the lead had changed hands a couple times as votes from across the township, including Jim Beam’s home district in the Ompah/Snow Road area, came in. Sometime after 11:15 Jim Beam arrived at the Hall, his scrutineering responsibilities having been completed. At this point the two candidates had about 900 votes each, and it was unclear which ward the final results were going to come from. Clayton seemed to be winning in Ward 3, Barrie Ward, which has the largest population, while Beam was cleaning up in his home ward. In Ward 2, the results had been mixed.
Then the phone rang. Final results: Clayton 1170, Beam 1061.
In the races for council, the Ward 3 contest for the second seat was a see-saw battle between Shawn Gray and the incumbent Wayne Good, with the fourth candidate Lorraine Garey also gaining with each set of results. In the end Wayne Good (420 votes) held on to his seat over Shawn Gray (387 votes) and Lorraine Garey (352 votes). Fred Perry (577 votes) topped all vote getters in Ward 3.
In Ward 2, newcomer Gerry Martin (420 votes) and incumbent Lonnie Watkins (404 votes) will sit on the new council. The other incumbent Elaine Gunsinger (255 votes) fell short, as did Karin Ferguson-Reynolds (213 votes) and Paul Thiel (61 votes).
Finally, in Ward 1, two new councilors were elected. John Inglis received the most support (355 votes). He will be joined by former councilor Betty Hunter (249 votes). Incumbent Bob Olmstead (184 votes) lost out, as did Robin Riddell (126 votes).
When the new council is sworn in on December 1, only three of the seven members of the current council will be sitting around the table.
When interviewed the day after the election, Mayor-elect Clayton said he is “optimistic that council can work well together as a team.” He said he would be meeting with each of the members of the new council “to find out what they heard going door to door during the campaign and to find out what their strengths are.” He said he would likely be looking to maintain and strengthen the committee structure on council.
Mayor
Bud Clayton 1170
Jim Beam 1061
Councillor Ward 1
John Inglis 355
Betty Hunter 249
Bob Olmstead 184
Robin Riddell 126
Councillor Ward 2
Gerry Martin 552
Lonnie Watkins 468
Elaine Gunsinger 255
Karin Ferguson – Reynolds 213
Paul Thiel 61
Councillor Ward 3
Fred Perry 577
Wayne Good 420
Shawn Gray 387
Larraine Garey 352
South Frontenac Township By Wilma Kenny and Jeff Green
Election night this year in South Frontenac lacked the drama of the old chalkboard days, with results shifting throughout the evening as the polls came in. However, an anxious crowd of candidates, supporters and political junkies at the township hall did have the suspense of having to wait an extra hour for the results, due to a slow-down in the system. According to Chief Election Officer Wayne Orr, this problem wasn’t peculiar to South Frontenac. Computer voting throughout portions of Eastern Ontario was brought to a crawl by the heavy influx of last-minute voters. As a result, the poll was kept open until 9 pm, and results were published a few minutes later.
It turned out be a pretty good night for the incumbents, in particular Mayor Gary Davison (photo left). Davison received 4460 votes, a comfortable margin over his opponent John Fillion, who received 2979 votes.
The campaign centred on some questions about direction that had dogged South Frontenac Council for the past four years. During the campaign, John Fillion charged that the amalgamation of township services led by Mayor Davison had been a mistake, and also questioned why council had rejected the 0% budget increase that he had proposed in 2010.
In response, Davison supported the 1.92% increase in the 2010 budget as “the cost of doing business”, defended the amalgamation project, and talked about the success the township has had in obtaining infrastructure grants for bridge work, and a new library and ambulance base.
“I feel re-charged by the confidence that people have placed in me to carry on in the way we have been working,” Davison said when contacted by phone on Tuesday (Oct. 26), “and it looks to me like we will have a very good council moving forward.”
Davison said Council would be faced with a major challenge “maintaining the infrastructure and programs that we have now without some added assistance from senior levels of government.
“They loaded us up with all sorts of added responsibilities and we are going to have to work hard to convince them they need to come through with added support - or else we are going to have a lot of trouble keeping taxes from going up and up.”
There will be some new faces at the council table in Sydenham starting on December 1. In Bedford District, incumbent Del Stowe (715 votes) will be joined by newcomer Mark Tinlin (821 votes). Tinlin is replacing David Hahn who did not seek re-election. The two incumbents in Loughborough District, Ron Vandewal (1240 votes) and Allan McPhail (969 votes) were re-elected, while in Storrington incumbent Larry York (1008 votes) will be joined by first-time councilor Cam Naish (1305 votes). Naish will take the seat that was vacated by John Fillion.
Portland District saw the only incumbent go down to defeat. One-term incumbent Jim Hicks (708 votes) lost out to long-time councilor Bill Robinson (842 votes) and John McDougall, a popular community activist from Verona who received the most votes of any council candidate in the township (1305 votes).
Another incumbent who did not fare well was the Limestone District School Board Trustee from South Frontenac, Barb McLaren (2747 votes), who was defeated by Suzanne Ruttan (3129 votes).
Mayor
Gary Davison 4460
John Fillion 2979
Councillor, Bedford District
Del Stowe 715
Mark Tinlin 821
Pat Barr 662
Councillor, Loughborough District
Ron Vandewal 1240
Alan McPhail 969
Fran Willes 883
Randy Ferguson 688
Councillor, Portland District
John McDougall 1309
Bill Robinson 842
Jim Hicks 708
Doug Lovegrove 659
Councillor, Storrington District
Cam Naish 1305
Larry York 1008
Peter Roos 932
Wayne Clancy 856
Limestone District School Board
Suzanne Ruttan 3129
Barb Mclaren 2747
Tay Valley Township
In Ward 6 of Lanark Highlands, incumbent Brian Stewart (516 votes) defeated challenger Joanne Wheeler (308 votes). In the Lanark Highlands mayoralty race, incumbent Bob Fletcher (1008 votes) lost out to Peter McLaren (1882 votes)Reeve
Keith Kerr acclaimed
Deputy Reeve
Susan Freeman - acclaimed
Councillor - South Sherbrooke
Roxanne Darling 443
Mark Burnham 328
Dave Campbell 213
Things that go “bump!” in the night…more tales of local haunting
Did you hear that??? Chances are, if you’ve spent any time in the wilds of Plevna, Fernleigh, Ardoch or Ompah, you have heard something go “bump” in the night. Paranormal activity has been discussed in the area for generations; sometimes it’s a tale constructed by a grandfather to thrill (and traumatize) the grandchildren, and sometimes there’s more to Grandpa’s story…
There are, scattered around the area, a multitude of unmarked graves. Native peoples buried near waterways, and settlers buried in fields on the family homestead due to the absence of organized cemeteries, or epidemics. The forest has reclaimed some older cemeteries and if you know where to look, you can find the crumbling markers. One source reported several river drivers buried near the dam along the Mississippi River, where there are three names chipped into the Canadian Shield circa late 1800s.
Certain local buildings also have a “feeling” about them. Skeptics dismiss this as indigestion, but some attribute this to spirits or ghosts. One local house gives off a distinct “suffocating” feeling at the top of the staircase and a commanding “do not enter” feeling on the steps to the cellar. Some old houses exude a general sensation of being “un-quiet,” despite being uninhabited by the living for decades. Does a troubled past cause these present day sensations, in several individuals who visit the house? At this point a collective bellyache seems unlikely. It is important to remember that people died at home, and were “waked” there too before burial. Perhaps seeing a translucent face peeking from a window is to be expected…
Last winter a local gentleman looked out his window, across the field, and was startled to see a large orange glowing area near where an old barn stands. “It didn’t seem like a fire, and the snow was too deep to investigate in the dark,” he noted. The next day, upon snowmobiling over, there was no sign of activity, tracks or fire. The century-old building had seemingly glowed on its own… perhaps it was a good, very old-fashioned barn dance, circa 1868.
Local lodges seem to be a hive of ghostly activity as well. Several people have reported feeling watched, seeing shadows move across rooms where shadows should not be, entering rooms on hot days only to shiver and even seeing translucent folk here and there. With their rich and storied pasts, along with the sheer number of people who have passed through them, it is no wonder these lodges are populated year round with spectral guests.
Whether or not you have had a ghostly experience, the stories of these meetings are intriguing. Some people believe that we leave impressions, on places and objects that have personal significance to us. Whatever you choose to believe… have a Happy Halloween!
If you have a ghostly tale, or strange occurrence, please share it with the Plevna desk for the Clar-Mill Archives! You can remain anonymous if you wish.
Students vote at Prince Charles
Photo: Grade 5 students on the campaign trail at Prince Charles PS in Verona
Students at Prince Charles Public School in Verona had their say and cast their votes in a parallel mock municipal election that took place in schools province-wide this last week.
A program called Student Vote, a non-profit, non-partisan organization that works with educators in 1500 schools in Ontario, representing 255 municipalities, partnered with Local Government Week and the Ministry of Education this year and brought municipal politics into classrooms across the province. The aim of the program is to engage youngsters in the democratic process, inform them of the roles of municipal government and school boards and give them an opportunity to investigate their local candidates and local issues
Ms. Janet Revell, Grade 5 teacher at PCPS, was the Student Vote Team Leader at PCPS, and she and her class facilitated the program at the school where students from grades one through eight had a chance to vote.
Student Vote provides the team leader with all of the necessary education tools and information, including lesson plans designed to teach students the democratic process, and other exercises that build critical thinking and decision-making skills.
In mid-October Ms. Revell invited the four candidates running for council in South Frontenac's Ward 1: Bill Robinson, Jim Hicks, Doug Lovegrove and John McDougall, to speak to students in her class about their reasons for running, their related experience and their views on local issues. Students then could either choose to represent those or other candidates, or become officially involved in other election-related roles and tasks. After the visit students interviewed the candidates, and prepared speeches, which they presented to each class in the school.
I spoke to a few of the students involved and asked each what they learned. Destiny Ritchie, who chose to represent Councilor Bill Robinson said,“ I learned about the councilors’ personal histories which was really cool... like the fact that Bill Robinson was in the war.”
Sara Fitzgerald, who acted as the official announcer, introducing the school candidates to the other classes and explaining the voting process to them, said, “You have to know a lot about leadership and what people want and you have to learn how to communicate with people.”
Max Orser, who acted as the returning officer looking after the ballots said, “I learned that taxes are really important and that the government involves much more than just one person.”
Asked if any might consider running as candidates in the future Destiny replied, “Yes but first I want to be a teacher, so maybe after I retire.” Max said, “It depends what the issues are and why you are wanting to run. That changes all of the time.” Sara said, “I might, but it’s something I would not consider doing without learning more about it.”
Dalton, who ran as mayoral candidate John Fillion, said, “I might consider it. You need to know a lot but I might want to take a shot at it because it might be fun.”
The Student Vote program at PCPS proved to be popular and engaging - so much so that Ms. Revell definitely plans to run it again. “It was a great experience for the students. They were all extremely keen and interested and all did really well. Many of them even ended up attending the actual candidates’ meetings that took place.”
This was Janet's first year facilitating the program and she is already thinking of how she might do it differently. “Next time I think I would invite the candidates to come to the school at the same time and have a bit of a debate. I would also invite more students from the school to sit in so that they are more aware of the real people that the students from the school are representing.”
For the record, after all the students’ votes were tallied at Prince Charles, John Hicks and John McDougall won the day as councilors, beating out Doug Lovegrove and Bill Robinson, and John Fillion was elected mayor with Suzanne Ruttan voted in as school trustee.
Energy Consumer Protection
By Susan Irwin, Executive Director / Lawyer, Rural Legal Services
Your hydro bill has just arrived. As usual, it’s a shocker, and there is the long winter ahead. You’re on a fixed income, and even the “equal billing” option leaves you short each month. At that moment, your white knight seemingly arrives in the form of a pleasant door to door salesperson who is selling contracts to supply electricity at a rate that will surely, definitely, save you money! But are his promises too good to be true?
In the midst of the practiced and convincing sales pitch you may not notice that the oral representations are not quite reflected in the very complicated wording of the contract. You may even draw the erroneous conclusion that the salesperson is employed by a company that is approved by, or affiliated with, Hydro One even though the contract will clearly state that the energy reseller and Hydro One are not related. You innocently hand over your Hydro One account number, sign the proffered documents, and sit back with a sigh of relief – a financial crisis avoided. Or so you thought.
When your bills from the energy retailer start to arrive, you may wish that you had paid more attention to the fine print! Not only do some people find that their “energy” bill has increased, but when they complain they find that it may cost hundreds of dollars to cancel the contract and return their account to Hydro One.
I would like to believe that there are people who have saved money under these contracts; but at Rural Legal Services we don’t see the happy energy consumers. We see vulnerable people trying to live on low or fixed incomes or pensions who either cannot understand the documents that form the standard retail energy supply agreement, or who simply don’t think it necessary to read the contract, given the wonderful sales pitch. More than a few people have also expressed the belief that they were really just signing something for their Hydro One account and are upset when they realize they have been tricked and that they have not been dealing with Hydro One.
It’s not just a local issue, although we see the results of periodic visitations to our area by sales teams sent out by one or the other of the various energy retailers. In December, 2009, the Ontario Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure pointed out that the practices of energy retailers were consistently in the “Top 10” list of consumer complaints received by the Ministry of Consumer Services and that the Ontario Energy Board was receiving between 100 and 150 such complaints every week.
Faced with practices that obviously need to be better controlled, the Ontario Government has passed the Energy Consumer Protection Act, 2010, which comes into force on January 1, 2011. The act is intended to give consumers greater protection in dealing with “hidden costs, excessive cancellation fees and other unfair industry practices”. Other steps include requirements for “plain language disclosure and enhanced rights to cancel contracts”. It is a welcome piece of legislation. Whether or not it will be able to actually help many of the people who enter into these contracts remains to be seen, and we shall try to have more columns on the particulars of how the new legislation works in the New Year.
In the meantime, people should be aware of their right to cancel a contract signed in their home within 10 days of entering into the agreement. This time period is granted under the Consumer Protection Act, 2002, and is often referred to as the “cooling off” period.
Energy contracts are not simple documents. We would be pleased to talk to you about your rights as a consumer.
Legalese is a column of general information and opinion on legal topics by the lawyers of Rural Legal Services, Box 359, Sharbot Lake, ON, K0H2P0, 613-279-3252, or 1-888-777-8916. This column is not intended to provide legal advice. You should contact a lawyer to determine your legal rights and obligations.
Voter turnout up and down.
It’s not easy to find a logical pattern to explain the voter turnout in last week’s municipal election. In South Frontenac the turnout was 44.1%, up from 43% in 2006, but still down from the 50% turnout in 2003, the last year that South Frontenac residents voted by mail. They now vote by Internet/telephone.
In Central Frontenac, where mail-in voting is still in place, the turnout was 46%, down from 51.6% in 2006.
In North Frontenac, where they also use mail-in voting, the turnout this time was 40%, up from 38% in 2006.
In Addington Highlands, which used Internet/telephone voting for the second time, the turnout was 33.7% this time around, up from 32% in 2006. The increase in voters in Addington Highlands is surprising in a way, because there was no race for mayor this time around and there was one in 2006.
The turnout in the local municipalities last time around suggested that people preferred mail-in to Internet/telephone voting. In 2006, all the townships with mail-in voting saw the same number or more people voting as compared to 2003. All the townships with internet/telephone voting saw a marked decrease in voter turnout.
This time around the Internet/Telephone townships recovered their voters slightly and the mail-in townships saw mixed results.
The region differed from some of the major centres in the province where the populace supported candidates that stood against the status quo, such as in London, Toronto, and Oshawa. Here, most of the incumbents, and all the incumbent mayors, were re-elected.
It’s Complicated …
By Susan Irwin, Executive Director / Lawyer, Rural Legal Services
It’s a complicated world and getting more complicated every day. Not a new or terribly profound statement, but it’s a reality that can have an enormous impact on the quality of life for many people.
Increasingly government institutions and businesses rely on automated message systems and web sites to provide information so that we can, in theory, handle our own questions or problems without further assistance. Such reliance presumes a degree of functional literacy that not everybody has. Not everyone has a telephone, can clearly hear what is being said over that telephone, has a computer and a web connection, can see the screen, or can comprehend the instructions set out on a web page or printed in “helpful” packages of detailed forms.
When the challenges presented by technology collide with a further lack of legal literacy, things can quickly go from bad to worse. Unfortunately, a lot of people simply do not know their rights or understand their responsibilities in many areas of the law, or do not have the ability to find, comprehend or use printed or electronic information to help them recognize and deal with legal problems. Even if they are able to obtain the information, some people do not know how to apply it to their situation. Having access to legal information but not knowing how to act on it is not really an effective solution to a problem.
As well, people who have not joined the technological revolution aren’t going to “Google” their legal problem; they seek assistance wherever they feel they can get it: friends, neighbours, family members, or caregivers. Unfortunately, the guidance received from these sources may not always be the best, especially as many people, even when seeking assistance, are not prepared to divulge all the personal information that would be necessary for a proper answer. They may also turn to the police for help and expect answers on all types of legal problems that are often well beyond the areas of usual police expertise.
Of course, even people who do “Google” their legal problems can find themselves with some interesting answers. It’s surprising how many people just keep going until they find the answer they want, and how hard it can be to explain that the law in Ontario may not be the same as the law in Utah, or even Alberta!
So if you are looking for help with a legal problem you might want to talk to a lawyer at Rural Legal Services. We can help you:
identify whether or not you have a “legal” problem,
identify the legal issues,
discuss whether you need a lawyer and how to go about finding one, and
identify whether there are other services, such as government ministries or agencies, that may be able to provide further assistance.
This personal information service is available without charge to all residents of northern Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Counties. However, as our services are funded by Legal Aid Ontario, we can only take the next step and accept your case if you meet Legal Aid Ontario’s financial eligibility criteria.
That being said, Legal Aid Ontario is also embracing technology as a more “cost effective” way of delivering services. We are not sure what this will mean for Rural Legal Services - it’s complicated! For now though, we are pleased to be able to offer a personal service to our community. You can still come to our offices and see a real person to talk to about your legal problem. We may even have an answer or two and we’ll try to keep them as uncomplicated as possible!
Legalese is a column of general information and opinion on legal topics by the lawyers of Rural Legal Services, Box 359, Sharbot Lake, ON, K0H2P0, 613-279-3252, or 1-888-777-8916. This column is not intended to provide legal advice. You should contact a lawyer to determine your legal rights and obligations.
Sharbot Lake Natural Health Fair
Photo: 18 vendors attended the 2nd annual Sharbot Lake Natural Health Fair
Eighteen vendors took part in the 2nd annual Natural Health Fair at Oso Hall in Sharbot Lake on Nov. 6, offering a number of alternative healing treatments and therapies. Various vendors offered information and demonstrations of aromatherapy, massage, reiki, Mitzvah, reflexolgy, Chi and other therapies. Visitors also had a chance to sample a wide variety of health food stuffs and medicinal products.
Steve Uranick of Healing Vibrations was on hand demonstrating the Nano Energy Zero Point wand, which contains a special mixture of minerals and crystals intended to improve the body chi or life force energy.
Allan Green of Ompah, a Past Life and Spiritual Journey facilitator, answered a number of questions about the ins and outs of delving into past lives. He told of one woman who had a swollen knee and who traveled back to find that she had been a soldier fighting alongside General Custer and had been shot with an arrow. “So we took out the arrow psychically, imagining the event together and after the session her pain disappeared.”
Green warned that over-thinking the experience can lead to a dead end and he stressed, “This work is done solely through the heart, not the mind. If a person starts analyzing the past experience with their mind as it unfolds, everything will go black for me.”
Tracie Goodberry, who along with Carol Belanger organized the fair, was thrilled with the overall turn out. “I think attendance has tripled this year which shows us that there is definitely an interest in alternative treatments and natural health. A lot of people of various age groups and personalities came out to investigate things, which before hand they either knew very little or nothing about. Many people were extremely pleased that an event like this is available to them so close to home" Tracie is quite certain that the Natural Health Fair will become a regular annual event in Sharbot Lake.
Original Central Frontenac staff member dies
Ian Trickett, who has been the only Chief Building Officer Central Frontenac Township has known, died in Perth on Sunday night. He was 62.
Trickett was as well known for his mop of hair and his rural English accent as he was for his command of the Ontario Building Code.
Becoming a building inspector was not in Ian's sights when he first moved to Arden from London to live and work with his wife, potter Lisa Moses, in Arden. He built the family home on the Tom Fox Road, near Mountain Grove, and that experience, combined with his work as a water inspector back in London, ended up leading to a part-time job as the building inspector in Olden. He took a number of courses over the years and by the time amalgamation came along in 1998, he had become qualified to be the Chief Building Officer in the new Township of Central Frontenac.
“He really liked living here,” said Lisa Moses of Ian, “from the start. I think it is partly because it was more like the English countryside where he came from than London was. He also loved his job. He loved going to work, driving around and working with people to get their building projects done safely.”
Among other things, it was the driving around that John Duchene remembered this week. “He had a pretty heavy foot,” Duchene recalled, “we always got places pretty quickly, although it often made me nervous. The funny thing is that once we got to a building site, he was never in a huge hurry to leave.”
Duchene also said that Trickett was someone who got along well with the rest of the staff. “He never was one to complain about people, he just got along, and he had a pretty dry sense of humour that came out every now and again. He will be missed.”
Among his hobbies were a love of Formula One racing, and over the past year or so he has been building a square puddleduck sailboat, which he was hoping to get into the water next summer.
Although not many people knew it, Ian had been dealing with Type 1 diabetes since the age of 17, and just about two years ago, he suffered heart failure. He died while curling at the Perth Curling club with a group from Sharbot Lake.
“I suppose I could have pushed him to retire early,” said Lisa Moses, “but he really enjoyed working and being active. He would have hated being in a wheelchair. In the end I have to give him full marks for how he did his death.”
One of the things that Lisa Moses said she will miss most was Ian's intellectual curiosity. “He had this wonderful, wide-ranging curiosity; he wanted to know about everything,” she said.
In addition to his wife Lisa, Ian leaves behind his daughter Megan and son Michael.
An informal memorial service will be held for Ian Trickett at the Oso Hall on Saturday, November 20, from 11:00 am. People are invited to come and share stories and reminiscences about Ian. Refreshments will be served by township staff. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Central Frontenac Recreation Committee in Ian's name are encouraged.
Fire at Chiefs House
Central Frontenac Deputy Fire Chief Bill Young has responded to many calls over the years, as have his sons Billy and David.
But a call came in two weeks ago that was different from the rest.
Bill Young didn’t hear the call at first, because he was working inside the Parham ambulance station, putting in some stairs. But when he did find out about he contacted one of the other firefighters.
“It’s your house,” the firefighter said.
Fire crews were on the scene quickly and they kept the Young house from burning to the ground, but there is extensive damage to one side of the house and a lot of smoke damage throughout.
“This certainly gives me an understanding of what people go though. I’ve talked to a lot of people at fire scenes but you don’t know what they are going through until it’s your house,” Bill Young said afterwards.
Central Frontenac Fire Chief Mark MacDonald said that normally the Ontario Fire Marshall’s office would not be called in to investigate a fire of this size, but because of Bill Young’s role with the fire department, the Fire Marshall agreed to investigate.
The investigation took place on Friday, November 5, and the house was released back the next day. Foul play is not suspected, but the precise cause of the fire will take time to determine.
No one was home at the time of the fire, which was in the early afternoon.
Drawing for the fun of it
Sharbot Lake resident Geoffrey Murray loves to draw and wanted to share his enthusiasm with the community, so last spring he started a drawing group for those looking for an opportunity to hone their skills, practise the art or just give it a try.
The sessions began at the Sharbot Lake Country Inn last winter and have since moved to the Sharbot Lake Family Health Team, where drawing enthusiasts at any skill level can sit and draw on Tuesdays, 3 to 5PM.
It was while teaching at Sharbot Lake High School that Geoff realized a need for high school students who were looking to “go on in the art world and who wanted more studio time than what was offered at the school.“ He continued, “It started off as an extra curricular school activity for any students in the area and then it kind of mutated to what it is now, a kind of collective for all members of the community of any age and skill level who just want to come out, perhaps improve their skills or just have some fun.”
Participants bring their own drawing supplies and paper and can make suggestions for subject matter, which changes from week to week. Past subject matter for the sessions has included still life, and participants are encouraged to offer other suggestions. One week a couple in the group assembled a collection of various furs, skulls, bones and leather and called the collection “Beauty and Death”.
Once a month the group will contribute a small fee and collectively pay for a live model to come and sit for a session. During my visit on November 2, Milosh, a former art student who has past experience working as a live model, was sitting for the group. He began with a series of dynamic 60-second poses, allowing participants to warm up with some quick gesture drawings, and then gradually lengthened his poses, offering the students a chance to concentrate on a longer, more in-depth work.
Milosh explained, “A good live model can really help to inspire the class.” Geoff agreed, “Certain models can really rev people up and the beauty of drawing from life is that the drawer has the rare chance of seeing the subject in a non-pixilated way, which these days is not very common.”
The group is ideal for people who like to draw but who also might require that extra push and motivation that a regular weekly group session offers. Mike Steeves, a regular participant, explained, “Being part of a group helps to push us beyond our own comfort zone and observing what other people are doing can give you new ideas and the chance to learn some new skills and approaches.”
For those who may be shy or hesitant to attend, Geoff encourages them to “come out and give it a shot.”
The last winter session for 2010 took place Tuesday, November 23 in the community room at the medical centre from and offered a live model, Yvonne, a belly dancer who posed in costume.
Geoff informed me that as long as interest continues, sessions will begin again on Tuesday, January 4, 2011 and he is hoping that live models will become a regular feature of the class.
For more information contact Geoff Murray at 613-279-3692
